Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 39 › Conversation 039-059

Nixon phone call with Bull on Watergate and White House tapes

Monday, June 4, 1973 · 9:38 AM–9:40 AM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.Conversation039-059 on Tape 39StartMonday, June 4, 1973 at 9:38 AMEndMonday, June 4, 1973 at 9:40 AMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 039-059 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen Bull coordinate the retrieval of specific White House tape recordings from February 27, February 28, and March 1, 1973, for the President’s urgent review. Nixon emphasizes the need for strict secrecy, directing Bull to ensure the material is handled by as few people as possible. Additionally, the two finalize adjustments to the President's schedule, moving an economic meeting to the following day to accommodate the review process.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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Hello?

Yes, sir, Steve Ball.

What's the situation?

I need that stuff to get to work.

I'm chasing it down.

The problem we have is that there's only one individual who handles it so that it can be a closed thing, and he's gathering the materials up himself.

He was supposed to have it to me a half hour ago.

Yeah.

So just as soon as he comes to us... Well, he doesn't need to bring it all at once, you know.

No, sir, he's just going to bring me three days.

And I want the rest also, you know.

Yes.

I want the three days now.

That's what he's saying right now.

27th, 28th, and the 1st.

Yeah.

We don't even know whether there was anything on the 27th that we...

Yes, sir.

I have logs right here in my office.

Didn't show any other logs.

Okay.

I've got a 25-minute meeting on the 27th.

Okay.

27th, 28th.

And you have about a 70-minute meeting on the 28th.

Right.

And then on the 1st, you have three meetings.

One is 30 minutes.

Another one is 10 minutes.

Try to get the goddamn stuff, Steve.

I mean, tell him to bring one day over, you know, because it's going to take a lot of time to listen to this.

Yes, sir.

So would you do that, please?

Yes, sir.

I've been on the phone tracking him.

What, is he out of town?

No, sir.

He's down in the...

where his safe is.

There are only two individuals who are aware.

That's great.

I don't want anybody to know.

That's fine.

Call me as soon as you've got anything with regard to it so I can plan my day.

Fine.

All right, sir.

The economic meeting is 3 o'clock tomorrow rather than 3 o'clock today.

3 o'clock tomorrow?

Yeah.

You've got that open, haven't you?

I told Hague he didn't.

I just told him he'd push it until tomorrow, but just look at your schedule.

We have an opening tomorrow, sir.

We have an opening tomorrow.

So you just want to open today's schedule completely.

And put Siemens tomorrow, too.

All right, sir.

Fine.

Thank you.

NARA Description

On June 4, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:38 am to 9:40 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 039-059 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 39-59

Date: June 4, 1973
Time: 9:38 am - 9:40 am
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with Stephen B. Bull.

[See also Conversation No. 441-7]

       Watergate
             -White House tapes
                    -Individual in charge
                    -Timing of delivery
                    -President’s forthcoming review
                            -February 27, February 28, and March 1, 1973 meetings
                                    -Bull’s logs
                    -Secrecy

       President’s schedule
              -Economic meeting
              -Previous conversation with Alexander M. Haig, Jr.
              -Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
                                             -48-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Also recorded on June 4, 1973

039-057 9:11 AM · 39 sec — White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 9:11 am to 9:12 am.
441-004 9:11 AM · 37 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:11 am to 9:12 am.
039-058 9:12 AM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 9:38 am.
441-005 9:12 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 9:38 am.
441-006 9:12 AM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:12 am and 9:38 am.
441-007 9:38 AM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 9:38 am to 9:40 am.
441-008 9:40 AM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Alexander M. Haig, Jr. met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 9:40 am and 10:05 am.
441-009 10:05 AM · 41 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 10:05 am and 11:19 am.

All 103 conversations from June 4, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 039-059, June 4, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/039-059 (accessed October 1, 2026).